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A week long Twitter survey revealed that my tweeps’ favorite Black Star song is “Respiration.” I think @badnewsrapdudes described this song the best– “probably one of the greatest hip-hop songs ever and I’m convinced that Jesus himself made that beat.” So here is a video to get you pumped for the Black Star show tonight at Aloha Tower.
Bad News (@badnewsrapdudes) is becoming one of my favorite Hawaii producers. Here he takes LA’s Bambu new album “Paper Cuts” and remixes it with his own bangers to make “Recycled Paper.” I honestly think BadNews beats match better than the original. Album features Diz Gibran and Geo from Blue Scholars among others. Peep and download “Recycled Paper” HERE.
And order a two piece with a biscuit from Drake.
Meet Tokimonsta, the latest addition to the always-illin’ Brainfeeder camp (Flying Lotus, Daedalus, etc). Born Jennifer Lee and raised in Torrance, CA, she’s a classically trained clarinetist and pianist who taught herself to play the drums and guitar at an early age. Sitting down to her many remixes and original beats, one is able to discern subtle hints of traditional Korean percussion throughout, as well as impossible to avoid nods to the likes of Dilla, Flylo, Shadow and other masters. Even with the inevitable comparison or two, she seems to (much like another favorite of mine, Greetings From Tuskan) be able to cook up a sound that no other may lay claim to. Expect big things from the Monsta in the coming months.
2 super packed Kool Herc shows at Next Door this past week. If you were not there you missed out on some Chronic shit! There was B-boys & B-girls, break-dancing, partying, & great music courtesy of the legend himself Kool Herc. Look for the full Kool Herc feature coming up in a future issue of Contrast Magazine. Big ups to Herc and Next Door Chris for the good times! Peace! 
Photos: Kate Adams Full gallery {here}
Kool Herc invented Hip-Hop. Exactly as it says right there. Dude INVENTED Hip-Hop! Look it up KOOL HERC! You will be baffled trust me. (at least i was) As my friend Chris put it “when kanye, nas, or jay-z take a picture with Kool Herc”. It’s not Kool Herc taking a picture with Kanye it’s Kanye taking a picture with Kool Herc”. Come down if you want to see THE all time living legend of Hip-Hop he will be rocking the fuck out of Next door this Wednesday and Friday. That is February 3rd and 5th. The Next Door is located in downtown Honolulu 43 North Hotel street 
Whenever I hear about a new “local” hip hop album, I’m always skeptical. I’m skeptical because the beats aren’t always great and the lyric content (when trying to be local) comes off forced and inauthentic. There are a select few who don’t fall victim to those two flaws, but more often than not…local hip hop comes off watered down. Now when I saw this album and who was involved, I got excited. By far, my favorite local mc of all time is Buzz (formerly Buzz-One), but I haven’t heard anything from him in so long I figured he put the mic to rest. Partnering up with Buzz is one of my favorite local producers, Fame. I downloaded and got excited. These dudes did not fail!! This shit is bangers. From raps about pipikaula and cold packs to lyrics about HPD being St. Louis Crusader’s “further education.” Tracks like “Moking Out” and “Max’d Out” might come off too mook-ish, but more insightful songs like “Da Secret”, “Gullah Spit’n” and the classic Hawaiianxploitation “Manapua Man” come off as pure genius.
Download “Raps to Da Max” (click) HERE.
Chee hu!
I’ve been on a pretty enthusiastic 90’s hip hop binge of late, and for you skeptics who need that ticket validated, just ask the head-nod induced pinched nerve in my neck. Part of what I loved about bumping that “ol’ golden era” was digging for the primary sample stolen used to become the backbone for a given track, thus paying homage to its originators, and impressing the hell out of mom’s and pop’s to boot. See, if I could name one positive about being Perry-and-Price-like in age, it’d be the ability to recall those fleeting memories of hearing the contents of my parents vinyl collection floating through the walls, back when I was just Omega6yearsold. Its as if I’m retracing the steps to their prime, if just one sample at a time. Wow, that rhymed!…And so did that! Ha, ok enough with the dumb. Below is a small collection of vintage tunes, mainly from the late 60’s and 70’s, that unwittingly blossomed into some of the cult monsters of today’s TRUE hip hop music, for better or for worse. Think of it as a sample of some samples. Nothing too obscure in the bunch. You’ll know it when you hear it. Enjoy:
Ann Peebles – I Can’t Stand The Rain
Wendy Rene - After Laughter Comes Tears
Aretha Franklin - One Step Ahead
Isley Brothers - Between The Sheets
The Blackbyrds - Mysterious Vibes
Michael Jackson - I Can’t Help It
Sylvia Striplin - You Can’t Turn Me Away
Barry White - Playing Your Game
De La Soul headlined one of the dopest hip hop shows in Hawaii at Aloha Tower Market Place on Saturday night. Although most of Honolulu was raining, Aloha Tower stayed relatively dry except for the huge puddles that was ruining everybody’s new kicks. The pools of water didn’t deter from the banging live performances by De La Soul, Biz Markie, Tassho Pearce and Tempo Valley. Contrast was supposed to lock down an interview with De La Soul via DJ Stealth and staff photographer Paul Kema, but it didn’t happen for whatever reason. I was bummed at first, but after the way the night worked out it was a blessing in disguise. While chasing down the De La interview Tassho showed us the true hip hop experience in Honolulu at Fort Union Recording studio. Mahalo, Tassho. The shit was dope, Fam! Don’t believe me? Check the pics. All images below by Paul Kema:
You know it's a real, deal hip hop show when the B-boys are out.
Red-Eyed Jedis breaking on stage.
Tassho Pearce on the mic and under the light.
Fitted's Kaboe with VJ's Blaine and Booba holding it down.
Pro Surfer Sean Moody. Contrast Global Editor Zen Yoshifuku. Fitted Hawaii Manager Sebastian Valdes. Vitamin Water Marketing Dude Ryan Kelly. The titles let ya'll know these guys are on their hustle at De La Soul.
De La Soul is on that conscious tip with their music, but that still won't stop me from flashing a "gangsta face" with KITV-4 Assistant Producer Nemesia Ramolete.
Biz Markie behind the turntables and leading the crowd in "De la, de la, de la" chant.
De La Soul– hip hop icons in the flesh.
How dope is that Sesame Street shirt on Trugoy? What up, Ernie! I see you, homie.
Posdnuos aka Plug 1 rocking Aloha Tower with that De La Soul power.
DJ Biz Markie jumped away from the turntables and we were all like, "You! You got what I need..." with Biz.
Posdnous and Trugoy honor the Hawaiian tradition of "Hana Hou." That's an "Enocre" for ya'll that don't know.
Parking lot pimping with Pono, Tassho and Devin. Tassho had a dope idea to check the Fort Street Mall recording studio because they might have a keg and De La Soul was rumored to be heading there. "So then I roll..."(in Kid Cudi voice).
Right before we headed up to the studio we bumped into Aaron Martin's brother who was just "slapping the base" upstairs.
The Fort Union studio had a dope ass room with all this sick vinyl so we got Tassho to pose for a couple of portraits. Next time we're coming back with a wide-angle lens to get more of the background.
Fort Union Studio was so sick. Drum kit. Key boards. Guitars. Bongo drums. Kilowatt Jamal freesteezing at the after party. Big ups, to Fame 1 and Bumble Bee for showing Contrast some love.
This was the first time my boy Pono ever rapped in front of someone other than his friends. Nobody offered him a deal, but nobody criticized his flow either.
"This is the third time I opened up for De La Soul and the fourth time I've seen them perform. And, to me, they're one of the best groups in music. Not just hip hop, but 'music' period," said Tassho Pearce at 3 a.m. on Sunday morning. "Tonight was an epic thing. I felt like a fan all over again, jumping around all over the place. It was legendary."
My voice was gone. My crew and I were faded. Next stop Zippy's...then homeward bound. Can you believe we walked from Aloha Tower to Fort Street to Zippy's?
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© 2008 Contrast Magazine LLC |
